Computer users may access one or more search engines in order to retrieve data from one or more dedicated databases or data stores, or from the Internet at large, using applications such as browsers. A user may provide a search query comprised of one or more keywords to an application that is configured to access a search engine, and may receive one or more search results identified based on the search query and any other relevant factors, e.g., one or more attributes of the user, or a context in which the search query was provided. The search results may be ranked on any basis, and may be displayed in a bare form, e.g., without any additional information or data, or in a dynamic manner that includes one or more hyperlinks, site links or sets of accompanying information or data. Search engines may return search results of a general nature, or search results that are specifically targeted for one or more purposes. For example, a search engine may be associated with an online marketplace, and may be configured to return lists of information or data regarding relevant items that are made available at the online marketplace (e.g., goods, products, services or information of any type or form) in response to a search query.
Most applications that are configured to receive search queries from users and provide such queries to a search engine are also configured to display search results in a serial manner, ranked top to bottom, with each of the search results bearing some relation to the search query and, alternatively, to the user or the context in which the search query was provided. When the user selects a hyperlink or other linked element associated with one of the search results, the applications are configured to display one or more pages of information or data regarding the selected search result in the same window or interface at which the search query was entered, or in one or more new windows or interfaces. The user may then access, view or manipulate the information or data regarding the selected search result in such pages, or select one or more other linked elements within such pages, and one or more additional pages of information or data regarding the selected linked elements may be displayed in the same window or interface, or in one or more new windows or interfaces. If the user wishes to return to or otherwise access previously viewed information or data, he or she must backtrack through viewed pages, e.g., by a “back” button on a browser or other application, or transition from one window or interface to another to access the other pages on which such information or data is provided.
In this regard, search engines, and most applications that are configured to access such engines (e.g., general-purpose browsers or other special-purpose applications), are effective in presenting search results to users and enabling such users to navigate through such results, or information relating to such results, when a user knows precisely what he or she is searching for, or when no further information or data is required in addition to the search results. However, when a user desires to browse through multiple results, or to make searching or browsing decisions based on a variety of information or data obtained from multiple searches, or multiple sources, applications for displaying search results are particularly unhelpful, as a user thereof must access multiple pages, windows or interfaces in order to review and evaluate the different results, or the information obtained thereby. Unfortunately, information or data obtained after reviewing search results cannot currently be presented with or among such search results. This problem is particularly acute on mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablet computers, which have screens of limited size and buttons or interactive features in limited numbers and with limited functionality.